What is the CYP Club all about?

At its heart, the CYP Club is about providing local young professionals and career-minded young adults with opportunities to connect with each other and the opportunities throughout the Columbus area. We promote career and business networking, social events, community service, local culture, and athletic league participation. We hold a variety of events: some free, some with a fee to enter. The concept is simple: friendly, intelligent people coming together to make their lives and the lives of others better through all of the avenues listed above. If you are of the mindset that you don't enjoy making new friends, then it's likely you will not enjoy the CYP Club. But if you appreciate the value of developing friendship, giving back to the community, and networking with other young professionals, you will find the CYP Club to be the best place to enhance your circle of friends and contacts.

What is a “young professional?” And what are the basic requirements of membership?

We define the term "young professional" as a career-minded, community-focused adult over the age of 21, generally in their 20s, 30s, or early 40s. This applies to teachers, students, entrepreneurs, lawyers, realtors, bankers, creatives, and many other industries. We do, however, reserve the right to deny or revoke membership if you disrespect others in a way that inhibits their ability to enjoy being involved in the CYP Club.

Membership requirements are simple: You want to get involved with the CYP Club, you live and/or work in Columbus, and you have completed our online member application. There are no additional attendance requirements or dues to pay in order to remain active!

What are the three levels of CYP Club membership?

Social membership is absolutely FREE and grants you an open invitation to all events, including a weekly subscription to our member newsletter. Most CYP Club events will have a nominal ticket cost, while other events are free. This level of membership never expires, unless you unsubscribe.

Our Premium membership level ($95/year) allows you even more access to the best social networking events in central Ohio for less than $8 per month. You’ll receive free or discounted tickets to most of our events, as well as special giveaways, comped magazine subscriptions, and other benefits.

Also known as “Friends of the Club," a Business Membership ($500/year) grants your company up to five (5) Premium member upgrades while providing incredible benefits for your business, including opportunities for job listings/recruitment, brand alignment, a featured page in our city guide, and more.

How many people attend CYP Club events?

It varies from event to event. Our Member Mixers welcome between 100-200 people each month. Our signature events - such as Next Up Columbus Awards, Columbus Volunteer Expo, and Women of Inspiration Summit - tend to attract 200-500 attendees. And The Grandview Hop welcomes a few thousand attendees each month!

Other events are intended to be smaller in and may have a maximum capacity. Coffee with a Cause events draw between 30-50 attendees, group dinners usually welcome around 20-40 attendees, and volunteer events may have as few as 10 participants or as many as 40. Our sports leagues are usually 100-150 members in the league, with 10-15 members on each team, on average (though our summer volleyball leagues can get as large as 400 participants). Whatever the attendance, plan on having a good time.

Do I need to bring a group of friends to events or can I attend by myself?

With friends or by yourself, either way you'll have a good time. Each one of us have seen groups where new members get the cold shoulder. We pride ourselves on our ability to connect people from various career sectors who have mutual interests. In addition, our leadership team is active at events to make sure everybody feels welcome. And with rare exception, we have at least 1-2 staff members greeting at the door of events when you arrive.

Does the CYP Club have a paid staff?

Yes, we have a staff of 12, including our CEO, a Director of Engagement, and a team of Event Coordinators and Athletic League Coordinators! Connect with our entire team here.

Are there opportunities to get involved as a volunteer or committee member?

Yes, and we couldn’t do it all without the help of nearly 150 volunteer leaders! These individuals are divided into three leadership groups: the Columbus Leadership Council, our Impact & Inclusion Advisory Board, and a Social Committee. If you’re interested in getting more involved, please let us know!

I filled out the membership application. Am I a member now?

Assuming you have completely filled out the form and you fit the basic requirements of membership, yes, you are now a member and should begin to receive our weekly emails. You should have already received a confirmation e-mail. If you have not received it, please contact us ASAP. It might be a problem with a spam filter or your e-mail address.